The invention relates to a device supporting or maintaining the rope of an aerial tramway installation, having a set of rocker arm assemblies mounted at intervals along the rope.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,095 describes a device of the kind mentioned which enables the rope to be supported or compressed by a series of small diameter sheaves or wheels, without imposing excessive bending on the rope, the rocker arm assemblies pivoting to evenly distribute the load on the sheaves. The sheaves of each rocker arm assembly are mounted between two plates forming a supporting cover, itself articulated on a cover coupling two successive rocker arm assemblies. The sheaves are secured between the two plates and the support spindle has to be extracted for them to be disassembled. Repairs are often carried out on the site, under particularly harsh conditions, at the top of a tower or in rain or snow, which explains the incidents and faulty repairs which affect smooth running of the installation. Damage to a bearing may lead to a seizure and a sheave being lost. Disassembling a rocker arm assembly is also complicated.
American Pat. No. 4,462,314 describes a rocker arm assembly with sheaves mounted cantilevered from a spindle secured to an arm. This arm is mounted cantilevered from a bent arm which frees the sheaves completely for ease of disassembly. This device is complicated and does not prevent the sheave ball-bearing from being damaged when the sheave is extracted.